Like Romeo and Juliet
by Michaela90
Summary: When Hermione and Draco (head girl and boy respectively) are given the diffucult job of making their two houses cooperate, lest fail the school year, they'll go to desperate measures to achieve their goal...even if it means feigning love for each other!
1. Prolouge: The Task

**Author's Notes:** _My muse Gertrude came up with the clever idea for this story. I hope you all enjoy it thoroughly.  
  
Also the characters and settings of this story are created and owned by J.K. Rowling and various publishers. Please don't sue me! The story of Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare.  
_  
**Summary**: _When Hermione and Draco (head girl and boy respectively) are faced with the difficult task of making all the houses (especially Gryffindor and Slytherin) cooperate and mingle by the end of the year or fail the school year, they go to desperate measures to achieve their goal even if it means pretending to be desperately in love with one another!_

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**_Like Romeo and Juliet, A tale of Slightly Star-crossed Lovers_**

**Prologue**  
  
Hermione Granger was not a vain girl, so there were few things she prided herself in, and punctuality and cleverness were the top two on her list. So naturally when one is so proficient in these fields one hates to be dragged down from one's throne when others aren't nearly as competent.  
  
And that's exactly what Draco Malfoy was doing to her.  
  
There was no doubt in her mind that the blonde prat was doing this to her out of nothing but spite, only just recently realizing how she hated to be late. She looked down at her wrist watch. Precisely three minutes and forty nine—wait fifty seconds she had been standing in the Entrance Hall waiting, and the Slytherin had yet to make an appearance.  
  
Perhaps she was being slightly controlling by insisting he was on time to the minute, but she couldn't bear a repeat of what had happened the first time the two heads had to meet up with the headmaster.  
  
They had agreed, even if grudgingly to meet outside by the Quidditch pitch as Draco had practice that night, and then head to the Headmaster's office. It was a warm September Saturday, and Draco said that he would be finished around eight thirty. So Hermione spent a leisurely day in the library and left at eight o'clock to meet him there.  
  
No one was on the Quidditch pitch and Hermione silently fumed. He should know better than to play these stupid little mind games with her now. Of course the two of them had their differences, but it was their responsibility to set an example for the rest of the school to follow.

When Draco was ten, then twenty minutes late she huffed off to the headmaster's office herself, only to bump into Draco who was on his way to the library.  
  
She had been absolutely furious, "You're twenty minutes late to meet with the headmaster so you're going to the library?" she asked fuming.  
  
Draco had snickered and rolled his eyes, "I'm not the one who's late Mudblood." He sneered, "I was right on time."  
  
"You didn't meet me outside the Quidditch pitch like you promised! Don't you start up with that nonsense." She hissed.  
  
"I beg to differ." He retorted, "I was out on the Quidditch pitch eighth thirty this morning."  
  
If looks could kill, Draco would have been dead three times over. She was absolutely mortified and knew as well as he did that he has her caught there.  
  
So for the October meeting, Hermione was absolutely determined to not look like an idiot. She made him promise her to meet him at eight thirty _p.m._ in the Entrance Hall or else. She had warned Draco, if he was even five minutes late, she would leave and start the meeting without him. Her right foot tapped the ground impatiently. He had only one minute left to arrive before she high tailed out of there.  
  
Thirty seconds....twenty seconds...ten seconds...the door to the Entrance Hall creaked open. There he was, smirking arrogantly. She glowered at him.  
  
"Evening Granger.' He said nonchalantly cracking his knuckles.  
  
She inclined her head the tiniest amount. "Malfoy." She said.  
  
"Shall we?" he drawled sticking out his arm.  
  
She stared at it with contempt, "We shall." She said pushing past him.  
  
"No need to be so cold love!" he bellowed chasing after her, "I swear, the other, she meant nothing to me!" A few fifth and sixth years they passed in the halls snickered.  
  
Hermione pointedly ignored him knowing that responding back was  
exactly what he wanted her to do. And Hermione Granger would never give Draco Malfoy something he wanted. She'd rather clean out underneath Ron's bed without magic. She shuddered...perhaps not.  
  
When she reached the statue of the gargoyle Hermione said the password, "Laffy Taffy." To enter Dumbledore's office and Draco jogged to catch up with her. She walked down the hallway and knocked politely on the door.  
  
"Come in Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," he called, somewhat graver than normally.  
  
Hermione slid into the room with grace, easing herself into an armchair stiffly, while Draco strolled in casually and plopped down in a seat as far away from her as possible.  
  
"_What a prude_." Draco thought observing her frigid form.  
  
"Thank you both for arriving together this time," Dumbledore said glancing at them over his half-moon spectacles. "I trust you are both well?" he added rhetorically, his mouth set in a small smile.  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Care for a lemon drop?" he asked mainly to Draco knowing that Hermione would decline. Draco gratefully took the Muggle sweet and popped it into his mouth. He was determined to do the opposite of whatever Granger did.  
  
"Now, onto more important business." He said, "Miss Granger the monthly report?"  
  
She went into her bag and pulled out a thick stack of neatly piled and carefully written documents and began to prattle on about all sorts of nonsense. Draco tuned her out as he normally did, focusing on enjoying his candy.  
  
Finally, when she finished, Draco looked up again listening to the Headmaster speak, "I suppose you both remember the incident between in Gryffindor and Slytherin today." Both teenagers glanced at each other, looking slightly guilty. Neither had actually helped in the prank knowing that they would have to report it if they did, however the majority of their friends were involved or in Hermione's case, the core originators.  
  
It had started out innocently enough. The Slytherin seventh years charmed the Gryffindor's plates to repel food a few days back. So today the Gryffindors had retaliated by casting charms on the Slytherins so that each one would be wearing something extremely pro Gryffindor. They had even gone as far as transfiguring wands and quills into little banners that said _"I (Heart) Gryffindor!"_ or, "_Go Lions!"_ in red and gold, spelling robes to flash different Gryffindor colors and slogans and enchanting book bags and parchment to play the tune of Weasley is Our King.  
  
It had caused an all out war between the two houses, both losing their tempers easily and trying to hex each other into next Sunday. It had caught innocent bystanders from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who would join the fight for which ever side hadn't hit them.  
  
Dumbledore had been able to stop the massacre eventually, and made them eat the rest of their lunch in dead silence. He had taken all the points away from Gryffindor and Slytherin and half the points away from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Each house received two months of detention and Quidditch was suspended for the time being.  
  
But as Dumbledore had suspected and feared, this did nothing to subdue their spirits but added fuel to a strong fire, each house blaming the other for all their punishment.  
  
They nodded at him, they remembered that day all too clearly.  
  
"I am at a loss as to how to insure inter-house cooperation and fraternization." He told them darkly, "As you both are students of the two most clashing houses, I have come to the realization that you will understand the reasons for this inborn hatred of each other better than this old man does. So I am placing the responsibility upon your shoulders. If you manage to get the four houses to cooperate by the end of the year, I will give the each of you one thousand house points. If you do not manage to get the four houses to co-operate, I shall fail you for the year."  
  
They stared at him in horror. "Y-you're not serious are you?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm afraid I quite am." He said seriously  
  
Draco could feel his jaw opening and closing but he found himself enable to articulate.  
  
"Run along now," he said, "I wouldn't want you to waist your evening."  
  
They obeyed with zombie like airs standing up and existing without giving him a second glance. They made their way up to the suit of armor with his head on backwards and Hermione pulled the hand down swinging it forward and revealing a flight of maybe twenty five narrow stairs. They came to a blank wall and Draco prodded it with his wand six times and muttered the password "Skittles."  
  
They entered their small common room and Hermione plopped down on the dark blue sofa exhausted. She kicked off her shoes and rested her feet on the coffee table.  
  
Draco sat down on yellow sofa and did the likewise. They glared at each other for a long time, willing the other to get them out of this mess.  
  
Finally Hermione spoke, "Malfoy, I think its best we work on this together."  
  
He glared at her angrily, "Why would I want to work with a Mudblood?"  
  
"And why would I want to work with a slimy little ferret?" she challenged.  
  
He turned away from her childishly.  
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Listen neither of us wants to do this. But we have to. Do you want to fail?"  
  
"No." he admitted.  
  
"Neither do I. The sooner I get away from you, the better." She said.  
  
"Likewise." Draco consented.  
  
"Let's get to work then."  
  
"Fine."

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**Author's Notes**: Please review! I know it's short, it's only a prologue! I hope no one seems OC!


	2. Chapter One: The Plan

**Author's Notes:** _I'm terribly sorry about how short this chapter is, but you all wanted quick updates. Don't worry the next updates should be much longer. Please review and tell me what you did and did not like. I'm very eager to please. Also, if you are famaliar with the tale of Romeo and Juliet and you have ideas to who the other characters should be, Tybalt, Mercutio etc. please leave your suggetions in your review._

_I also have a forum set up for this story at entitled What Would Hermione and Draco do....? In the section Waiting for the Knightbus if any of you are users there._

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Hermione set up piles of parchment and pulled out fresh quills and inkwells like a good little secretary. Draco smirked observing her. Just how much of a perfectionist was this strange girl?  
  
In neat letters she wrote IHC. across the top of the first piece of parchment.  
  
"IHC?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Inter-House Cooperation." Hermione said smartly, smacking her lips together.  
  
Draco help up a hand, "Don't keep on at me." He said good naturedly, "So we'll call this little project IHC. Now what in Merlin's name are you doing?" He eyed the parchment skeptically.  
  
"Organizing." She said with a sigh. "You see, here's the title of the project, and here's a little sketch of the Hogwarts crest." She picked up a new piece of parchment. "Now, what do you think are some things we could do to improve the house relations?"  
  
Draco thought for a moment before saying, "Study groups."  
  
Hermione grinned, "Especially for seventh and fifth years with the Newts and Owls and all."  
  
"You have anything Mu---?" He cut himself short, knowing that if he and Hermione were to work together he might as well try to be civil.  
  
"I was thinking, do you remember Professor Grubbly-Plank talking about group projects? Well maybe we could convince her to put people of opposite houses in groups."  
  
"I suppose so..." Draco muttered darkly. It was taking most of his energy to not say something sarcastic and saunter off somewhere to be away from her filth.  
  
"Or," Hermione said with sudden inspiration, "We could throw a masquerade ball!"  
  
He rolled his eyes, "Of all the childish, idiotic ideas..."  
  
"It's perfect, don't you see?" Hermione insisted, "People could get to know people from other houses without the former prejudices because they won't realize who they're talking to!"  
  
"I guess it is possible for that to work but it's been done many times before and seems rather pointless in my opinion." Draco said.  
  
Hermione was frantically writing each suggestion down on a parchment she had labeled ideas. Draco snorted and tucked a piece of white-blond hair behind his ear. "Granger, surely you realize we are doomed to fail."  
  
She glared at him dangerously, "We are not!" she said.  
  
"Let's face it, the Gryffindors and Slytherins are just as bad as the Montagues and Capulets." He said kicking off his dragon-hide boots.  
  
She opened her mouth to protest with him on the subject, but suddenly observed his face in a new light. He was rather handsome, she mused, her eyes scanning up and down his body. And she knew that he was intelligent, he was Head Boy and third in their year wasn't he? She paused for a second...he could even be funny when he was being pleasant. He had a type of humor she enjoyed.  
  
Draco was actually beginning to become frightened by the glint in Granger's eye. What exactly was going on in that busy head of hers?  
  
"You're right you know.' She said to him, "They are just as bad as Montagues and Capulets."  
  
"Glad you see my point Mudblood." He said shaking off the chills her looks were giving him.  
  
"You'd make a bloody good Romeo. Or better yet, Juliet." She said leaning towards him.  
  
He backed up into the couch, "W-what are you proposing Granger?"  
  
"How would you like to pull off the greatest scheme ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts?" she asked in a low whisper.  
  
Draco's interest couldn't help but be peaked. "I'm listening." He said.  
  
Hermione grinned somewhat, "You and I are going to convince the rest of Hogwarts we are madly in love with one another!"  
  
He blanched, "That's totally inconceivable Granger! No one will ever believe that I could fall in love with a disgusting mud-blood like you!"  
  
"Just like no one could believe Juliet could fall in love with a Montague." Hermione grinned. 

"Why do I have to be the girl?" he asked haughtily, casting her one of his trademark glares.

Hermione paused for a moment contemplating her response, "Romeo's much more impulsive and reckless than Juliet, and I know that you and the rest of your house view Gryffindor's as such. It would be much more out of character for you to be flamboyant and reckless and daring when it comes to our _relationship _then it would for me a Gryffindor. Another thing, Romeo interacts alot more with friends who he sees more or less as equals; and I hate to break it to you, but I know that there is no way you view Crabbe and Goyle as your equals."

"Well," Draco said pouting unsused to not getting his own way, "You can't actually see Potty and Weasel as your equals!"

Hermione glared, "It might actually surprise you to know that Harry is fourth in our year. And if Professor Snape actually gave both of you the marks you actually deserved then he would probaly have your place!"

"How dare you even imply such a thing!" Draco cried, outraged, "I can't help it if Scarhead's abysmal at Potions!

"Oh get over yourself." Hermione said with resolve, "You know the only reason that Professor Snape hasn't unfairly failed Harry is because Dumbledore has intervened multiple times."

"The Prince Escalus of the whole thing." Draco muttered.

"So you'll do it then?" Hermione asked eargerly.  
  
"I don't see how this will help the IHC." Draco said looking thoroughly disgusted.  
  
"Perhaps you never actually _read_ Romeo and Juliet Malfoy, but after the two lovers kill themselves, the Montagues and the Capulets realize what idiots they were being and stopped their feud and joined in the mutual grief of two of their most loved family members." Hermione said, eyes twinkling devilishly.  
  
"So you think Granger." Draco said after swallowing a lump in his throat, "That if we pretend to be madly in love with each other we can make our respective houses realize what idiots they are?"

"That's precisely what I mean." Hermione said, "and if this makes the deal sound better to you, you might get to beat up Ron. If he was Tybalt and Crabbe or Goyle were Mercutio."  
  
"I get to massacre Weasley while earning my house a thousand points? Well, does it have to fit exactly to the tale?" he asked arching a brow.  
  
She shook her head, "It just has to imply the story."  
  
"Well in that case...what's your favorite kind of rose my sweet Juliet?"

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**Author's Notes**: _Please Review!_


	3. Chapter Two: The Seed

**Author's Notes: **_Please forgive the length between the last update and this one and the shortness of this chapter. I hope the content is good eough to leave you all satisfied for the time being. I'm getting my own computer soon...it's either the Dell which everyone hogs or the Mac that is about eight years old and hardly works so between the two of them I hardly get a chance to write these days! Once I get my own computer (which will be soon) knock on wood my updates will come much faster than before._

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**_Chapter Two: The Seed_**

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Draco was sitting outside the Quidditch waiting. He had long ago spotted his prey, a Hufflepuff second year named David Eakny who was watching the Hufflepuff team's practice with starry-eyes. Eakny had eagerly tried out for the Hufflepuff team that year only to not make the cut. It wasn't that he was a lousy player but that he was only a second year and didn't have a broom of his own. The Hufflepuffs had figured it was better to give the position to an elder player who had a broom, even if didn't play as well as the second year.  
  
Draco's task was a simple one. He had to use every manipulative bone in his body, every ounce of Slytherin cunningness to plant the seed for the IHC Project. That and give away his prized broomstick, the Nimbus 2001. He grimaced. He wasn't particularly pleased with the task, especially since the kid they were using was a Hufflepuff, but Hermione had had several good reasons for using him.  
  
"Out of all the houses," she had insisted, "Hufflepuff is the least partisan per say. Also Ernie told me all about this broom situation of his the other day when I bumped into him by the lake. David is the perfect candidate, he'll spread it to his best friend, Lyle Peters who has an older sister in Ravenclaw named Gianni Peters who is best friends with Padma Patil. Padma will tell Pavarti and before lunch time the whole school will hear that some kid saw a Gryffindor and a Slytherin hugging."  
  
He had nodded along his concession not truly following. He was still rather reluctant about the whole idea, especially the fact that he was the one playing Juliet.  
  
Practiced ended, and Draco saw the tired but happy Hufflepuff team slowly descend to the ground. Eakny leaped from his seat in the stands down to the pitch in what had to be record speed and congratulated the team on an awesome practice, and making many exuberant declarations that they were sure to pound Ravenclaw in the first match of the season.  
  
Draco clung to the shadows of the pitch, willingly for no one to see him. "You do not have to be invisible to not be seen Draco." His father has often told him growing up, and now he was putting that philosophy to practice as best he could.  
  
The Hufflepuffs hit the showers and Eakny left the pitch with a bittersweet smile on his face. You could tell how much he wanted to be on the team. As soon as he was out on the grounds Draco grabbed hold of his arm.  
  
He jumped in surprise having not had the slightest idea that the Head Boy was nearby. "Is your name David Eakny?" he asked in a firm tone.  
  
The sandy-haired boy was obviously intimated by the blonde Slytherin, "Y- Yes." He stuttered nodding up and down.  
  
"Excellent." Draco replied clasping his hands together, "Come along then."  
  
David followed Draco on the path towards the lake trying to not look as terrified as he truly was.  
  
"How would you like a broom?" Draco asked when he stopped in the middle of the path, out of the ear shot of anyone.  
  
With this David grew slightly less intimated. 'Would I!" he exclaimed.  
  
"And not just any broom," Draco added, "A Nimbus 2001."  
  
"Blimey." He breathed softly, "That's better than anyone's on the team.' He paused for a second, "Wait a second...what's the catch?"  
  
Draco smirked, "You're a smart kid, I like that. It's not a very hard task to accomplish here. All you have to do is spread a rumor."  
  
He gave him a hard cold look, "It's not hurtful is it?"  
  
Draco stared at him unblinking, "No," he replied not trying to keep his disappointment at that fact out of his voice, "All you have to do is say you were in the Charms corridor heading towards Professor Flitwick's office because you had a question about homework or something and say that you saw a Gryffindor and a Slytherin hugging."  
  
He gasped, "A Gryffindor and a Slytherin would never hug each other!"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "They didn't actually all you have to do is say that you saw a Gryffindor and a Slytherin hug each other. And when you see Hermione Granger in the Great Hall or somewhere you have to say that it was most definitely her, you recognize the face, and some blonde fellow."  
  
"And that's all I have to do to get the Nimbus?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"That's all you have to do." Draco replied.  
  
"How much does this all mean to you?" Eakny asked getting somewhat greedy.  
  
'Hey, I could go to someone else!" Draco reproached.  
  
David shot him a sour look. "I'm in." he said finally, "By this time tomorrow the whole school will know about it."  
  
Draco shook his hand to magically seal the verbal contract between the two wizards and said, "You drive a hard bargain Eakny, I hope to do business with you again in the future."  
  
"Likewise." Replied the second year.

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Hermione plopped down on one of the couches in her and Draco's shared common room with a heavy sigh. Her head was overwhelmed with thoughts and ideas about the whole plan. Just what had she gotten herself into?  
  
She wasn't sure if she could convince the entirety of Hogwarts school that she was mad about Draco Malfoy. They had hated each other basically since they had set eyes on each other. Then again, what was it that Ginny always said...? Opposites attract or some other nonsense? It wasn't like Malfoy wasn't good on the eyes. He was perhaps too good on the eyes in some ways.  
  
His skin was an absolutely flawless ivory, and although she preferred the more Slavic looking men, the drastically pale seemed to have become her second category. His hair was actually quite nice when he didn't have every strand perfectly gelled into place and his smile, when he used it in a pleasant way was quite nice.  
  
So she could sort of understand how the other girls thought he was a right looker and how she...she shook her head vigorously and muttered, "Dead puppies!" under her breath before working out further plans for the IHC Project.

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**Author's Notes:** _The next update is in the near future, I promise. For those of you who got the dead puppies joke, I'm glad you did. Thanks for reading and remember the polite thing to do is review._


	4. Chapter Three: The Rumor

**Author's Notes: **_Oh my goodness! Thank all of you for the positive reviews! I'm so glad about how this story is being received! It truly astounds me! Now, I was trying to put this chapter up yesterday but document manager was down so don't be mad at me!_

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Two identical girls were walking, arms linked and heads bowed to Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology respectively. Their year mates passed them by, perhaps sending one or two curious glances their way but for the most part leaving them alone. One was the school's most notorious gossip, and the other, her sister was not far behind her. Between them, a heated debate was going on.  
  
"No!" The Gryffindor cried for what seemed like the thousandth time, "That just can't be the truth!"  
  
"I'm telling you Pavarti!" argued her twin, "It is so the truth. I can gave you names, dates, times...everything!"  
  
"There is no way it could have happened!"  
  
"But it so did!"  
  
"It didn't! This has to be some sort of prank!"  
  
"It isn't! I'm telling you Pavarti! You can ask Giania! She got it from Lyle who got it from-"  
  
"I don't know a single Gryffindor who would have such a low sense of house morality and loyalty!" hissed Pavarti, "We only date our own kind!"  
  
"Now, now." Padma said in a soothing voice, "No one said they were dating Pav. Maybe they are just secret friends or something."  
  
Pavarti snorted, "Secret friends my arse. If this is true...which it isn't...may I remind you of the fact that we aren't nine any more...you're only just good friends with a boy if you're a lesbian."  
  
"What about Hermione Granger?" asked Padma narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Well..." Pavarti said trailing off, "She's Hermione for Chris sake. No one would look at her like that in a million years, least of all hunks like Ron Weasley or heroes like Harry Potter."  
  
Padma smirked somewhat, "It wouldn't surprise me if she was a lesbian anyway."  
  
Pavarti groaned, "She's not Padma, so don't even think about hitting on her you little lesbo!"  
  
"Well how many boyfriends has the prude had?"  
  
"Um...Well there was Victor Krum..."  
  
"More like Victoria Krum." Giggled Padma.  
  
Pavarti rolled her eyes, "She's straight and I know she still writes to Victor Krum."  
  
"I am not a lesbo by the way!" cried Padma offended, "I am bisexual!"  
  
"That's so not the point!' cried Pavarti. "Look I'm telling you Padi, that there's no way in hell a Gryffindor girl would hug a Slytherin boy!"  
  
"I got it from Giania Peters, who got it from her brother Lyle who got it from David Eakny..."  
  
"That sixth year Ravenclaw Richard Eakny's little brother?" interrupted Pavarti.  
  
"Yeah, oh Merlin Richard is like the most delicious man I ever laid eyes on! And oh Merlin Pav! He was like so definitely flirting with me the other day....he said the funniest thing too...what was it now?"  
  
Pavarti glared at her sister who was going off in a tangent. "Padma! PADMA! Back to the rumor please!"  
  
"Oh sorry," Padma replied, "So...anyways David Eakny witnessed it with his own two eyes in the Charms corridor. He said it was after hours and they had to be like prefects or something cause they like weren't even trying to be sneaky or something like that." Padma finished.  
  
"But none of the Gryffindor prefects had the Charms corridor to patrol last night! Ron told me before he went out to prefect duties!" Pavarti cried.  
  
"Well...who had the charms corridor duty last night?" asked Padma.  
  
"How should I know?" asked Pavarti.  
  
"Look there's Ron! He'll know!" said Padma.  
  
"Oh! Ronnie! Ron-IE!" Pavarti called flirtatiously.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes and strolled over to the twins, "Can I help you?" he asked rolling his eyes somewhat.  
  
"Totally." Said Padma, "Do you know who had to patrol the Charms corridors last night."  
  
Without even having to think about it, he blurted out, "The heads. They had the Charms Corridor, the Astronomy Tower, and the Divination Tower."

Padma and Pavarti's eyes grew as wide as saucers.  
  
"Oh my Gosh!" Pavarti said in an awed whisper, "I like so have to tell Lavender! Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy!"  
  
And the twins split off in two different directions...spreading the rumor twice as fast and leaving a very confused Ronald Weasley in their wake.  
  
By lunch that day, everyone was talking about it. The tale of forbidden love! A Gryffindor and a Slytherin! The rumor had become so large that even the Professor's had heard about it.  
  
"There is no way." McGonagal huffed, "That one of my Gryffindors and your...your _Slytherins_ were...ahem..._love making_ in the Charm's corridor!"  
  
"I believe Minevra." Snape said silkily, "That they were not _love making _as you so elegantly put it, but hugging, which is infinitely worse."  
  
"Oh Bullocks!" replied the Scottish Professor, "How in Merlin's name is _hugging_ worse?"  
  
"It means that one of my Slytherins has actually gone soft and cares for one of your reckless half-blood little _Gryffindors_." He sneered.  
  
Her nostrils flared, "What's worse I believe is that one of my Gryffindors touched one of your slimy little inbred-pureblood-death eater- twits!"  
  
Snape leapt up from his seat at the staff table, wand drawn. He was about to Go off at Professor McGonagal again when Dumbledore intervened, frowning.  
  
"I have been trying to stop these petty feuds between houses with my students, but I had thought it was not necessary to force my staff members to get along as well." He glared at the both of them over his half moon spectacles.  
  
They both looked sheepish, or as sheepish as the strictest Professor in Hogwarts and the Cruelest Professor in Hogwarts could look.  
  
"I clearly said at the staff meeting before the start of the school year that I expected all of you to be on your best behavior, and promote inter-house fraternization yet this is what I get from the both of you! It appears that the only students that are even trying to help out are our Head Boy and Girl."  
  
And with that last comment he left them to their own thoughts.

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**Author's Notes: **_I know that Snape and McGonagal seem somewhat O/C but this is on purpose. I want to see who's putting all the pieces together._


	5. Chapter Four: The Duel

**Author's Notes:** _Thank you my reviewers. You're all wonderful. To answer one of my reviewers questions, yes I am a girl...atleast, that's what I think you were asking. Anyway, I was wondering, how many of you are putting the pieces together. If you are at all famaliar with Romeo and Juliet, you should slowly but surely see who is filling the different roles, Prince Escalus, Tybalt, Paris, etc. Also, every character that I have written in has a purpose in this story, so don't write off any OC or minor character as not important._

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"I don't see why they can't just stop all this nonsense." Remus Lupin the returning Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher sighed as he sipped his tea.

"I don't quite understand it either I must say." Replied Dumbledore sucking on a lemon drop. A few of the other heads in their picture frames nodded as well.

"It's so incredibly childish." Remus said with yet another sigh. "If they could just take the time to get to know each other they would realize that they aren't really all that different."

"I'd have to disagree with you there Remus my old friend. Slytherins and Gryffindors are quite different from each other."

"_What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet._"

"What's the difference between the houses? If the Slytherins were called Gryffindors and the Gryffindors were called Slytherins they would not be any different is what you're really trying to say Remus." Dumbledore replied.

"No." Remus argued, "What I'm really trying to say is that even though their name separates them and causes hate and fear, they really are the same people. They have the same passions and interests....take Quidditch for example."

"Ah you quoted incorrectly I fear...what you were looking for can be found in _The Merchant of Venice._" Dumbledore replied plopping another candy into his mouth.

"_If you prick me, do I not bleed?_" Remus asked with a small smile.

"Ah," Dumbledore said clasping his hands together, "The very one."

"I wish I could somehow stop all this fighting between the Houses. Why the other day I stopped what seemed like a massacre down by the lake. It was Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnegan and a bunch of fifth and third years, versus Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and a bunch of fourth years. They were being absolutely brutal towards each other. It took me an age to talk some sense into Ron and separate the groups. And to think after all the house points that have been lost recently and all the detentions we've been giving out. You'd think they would stop! But no---"

Dumbledore held up a hand, "Remus," he interrupted, "Please. You're ranting."

"I'm sorry Headmaster." Replied the werewolf blushingly. He looked down at his wrist watch. "I'd best be going Albus, my break is almost over."

Remus stood up with a smile and as he walked out the room Dumbledore muttered under his breath, "Goodbye Benvolio."

Remus spun on his heel, "I beg your pardon?" he said somewhat confused.

"I said Goodbye and Bon-voyage." Albus said with a quick recovery. He grinned and left and Albus allowed himself a small smile. He had not been figured out...yet.

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Hermione Granger was positively fuming, "Are you lot EVER going to learn?" she yelled pacing back and forth in front of her fellow Gryffindors. "You already have two months worth of detentions and a thousand house points lost. Why would you honestly start a fight with the Slytherins?"

Seamus broke in, "But Hermione," he said reasonably, "They provoked us!"

"With what?" Hermione growled, "Ron's mum is a fat old bitty with a million babies? A bunch of nonsense with the world Mudblood and a good shag thrown in a few times?"

Dean gulped.

Ron stood up, "Well, we're sorry if the precious Head Girl isn't allowed to act on her feelings about the Slytherins, but there's no need to take that anger out on us." He started walking away.

"I just thought I'd let you all know that you will be receiving another months worth of detention for this little display of Gryffindor morale. Oh and fifty house points, each."

One of the third years fainted.

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Meanwhile, Draco was giving a similar speech to his Slytherins.

"I'm deeply ashamed of you all." He hissed icily, making the fourth years involved in the fight flinch, "We are Slytherins!" he said slamming his fist down onto the table. "We do not seek out to hurt others with violence."

"Well we're not Hufflepuffs." Crabbe grunted.

"How are we supposed to hurt people with violence?" asked Goyle scratching his head.

"We are Slytherins Dammit! We shouldn't have to use violence to intimidate our enemies! Our very presence in the same room as our enemy should make them feel weak and vulnerable. We should be able to make the bravest enemy cry with just a few words! We are Slytherins! Not Gryffindors. Our idea of a cunning plan is not, 'Okay everyone jump in on the count of three!' For the love of Merlin."

"Sorry Draco." One of the fourth years piped up.

"A Slytherin is never sorry!" Draco yelled, "A Slytherin never has anything to be sorry for! Do you hear me?"

"Sir. Yes. Sir!" yelled another fourth year.

"You all make me sick. After a thousand house points lost because of the Great Hall incident, you'd think that as loyal Slytherins you would act with some decorum and make an attempt to salvage the chances we have left at the house cup! The Head Girl," he paused for a second trying to put the tiniest hint of tenderness or admiration into the title, "And I have been working very hard together under Dumbledore's strict orders to bring back some sense of normalcy to Hogwarts since the raid. Have any of you helped at all? No!"

All the students Draco was yelling at were beginning to look a tad bored. "It wasn't just my mother and father that were captured, but yours as well Nott! And yours as well Crabbe! And how about you Velmont? Your mother writing to you and telling you about how cold and lonely her bed is now that your father is in Azkaban?"

They started to back away. "Slytherin house is at its lowest point right now, and you have all sunk it even lower. I'm disgusted with all of you. By the way you all have a months worth of detention and have lost us fifty points each. Now get out of my site."

They didn't need telling twice.

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That evening at dinner, Pavarti, Padma, and Lavender approached were Hermione was sitting with Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville.

"Yoo-Hoo!" Pavarti called, "Herm-IE!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked towards them, "Yes?" she asked, somewhat shortly.

"Would you mind if we talked to you for a second, in private?" Padma asked.

"You don't mind if we borrow Hermie do you?" Lavender asked, pouting her bright pink glittery lips.

"Erm.." Harry muttered, trying to catch Hermione's eye to see if she needed to be rescued.

"Actually..." Neville said waving around what looked like a Potions essay as they pulled her out of the Hall.

Once they were on the other side of the doors they cornered her.

"Is he a good kisser?" Lavender shot first, before the onslaught could begin.

"Is his hair soft?"

"Does his breath smell nice?"

"Are his eyes really that icy grey up close?"

"Has he promised you he'll run away with you?"

"Are you pregnant with his love child?"

Hermione was looking from one to the other pretending to be as confused as she would have been, had this all not been an act.

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" she asked, hoping a blush would appear on her cheeks.

"You and Draco of course!" squealed Lavender.

"Me and Malfoy?" she asked stammering just enough, "That's absolutely preposterous."

"Oh come on now Hermione." Pavarti giggled, "Don't be ashamed about it. Every girl in Hogwarts has fancied Malfoy before; just the only girl that got him was that slut Pansy Parkinson."

"Malfoy and I aren't together!" Hermione exclaimed, "The very idea disgusts me! Now if you'll excuse me, I have very long essay for Potions due tomorrow that I want to cross reference in the Library."

"We're not done yet Hermione!" Padma bellowed as Hermione scuttled down the Halls.

As soon as the three girls were out of site Hermione could no longer hold in her giggles. It was just whole ridiculous, this whole charade. She snorted, Malfoy had been afraid it wouldn't work and no one would believe it. They hadn't even been seen together at the Masquerade Ball and already the school's biggest gossips thought she was pregnant with his love child.

She growled somewhat angrily at the thought of being considered that easy. Plus, if they had read Hogwarts, A History, they would know that in the year eighteen-seventy-five an anti-conception charm was placed on the whole school and on the grounds.

She paused, realizing that she was walking in the completely wrong direction for the Library and began laughing again. If her head wasn't working, at least the plan was!

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**Author's Notes: **_Thank you for reading, please review._


	6. Chapter Five: The Heads

**Author's Notes:** _I am so terribly sorry for the delay between updates. I've been rather busy with other stories that I was neglecting while working on this. This chapter is more of a filler than anything else. It does have some plot points though...._

_Please review by the way._

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"I-am-going-to-kill-those-little-buggers!" Hermione huffed rushing out of the now abandoned classroom as she had recently left it. "Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!"

The occasional snogging couple in the hallway gave her an odd look as she stormed past, screeching about god damn jocks and slamming every door that dare to cross her path.

McGonagall had forced her, against her better judgment to tutor her two best friends in the noble art of making potions as they were both failing miserably. It was one in the morning and she had been there since seven in the evening before waiting for the pair of idiots to show up. They never did.

First they had warned her that they were going to be late because of Quidditch practice and leaving Quidditch practice early or not going all was simply _unheard_ of.

Then of course when did Harry ever practice anymore? He had a much better view of Ginny's rear while he was sitting in the stands with his omniculars thank you very much.

And Ron...he hardly ever went to practice anymore he was too busy snogging Pavarti! And McGonagal, whom she had long been a favorite of, had forced her to tutor them!

As if they were honestly _trying_ and didn't _understand_ that material or something. Harry could care less about being an auror anymore...Voldemort was gone or well...if he somehow magically came back again, he'd find that all of his supporters...or the majority at least were in Azkaban because of _The Raid_.

And now that he had found out that his fortune was _considerably_ more expansive then he had imagined he could care less whether he even had a job or not. All he cared about was getting Ginny to give him a good shag...not that she hadn't multiple times already, even if Harry and Ginny both denied it furiously.

Hermione paused. That was a rather uncharitable thing for her to say, Ron, Ginny, and Harry were all her friends, and she shouldn't begrudge them for acting like normal teenagers during a time of semi-piece should she?

But maybe it was the fact that even though they got to act like normal teenagers, she didn't. Every night piles upon piles of study-work and preoperational exams for the Newts haunted her dreams. Every day she took out reference book after reference book on the multitude of classes she was taking. And during any time she used to have just relaxing with her friends (or worrying about Voldemort, depending) she was busy with her Head Girl duties and coming up with ideas for The Plan. Her life was so busy and confusing, that she envied their simplicity.

But still...

Hermione was fed up. They hardly had the time to spare for her anymore, (not that she was willing to give up any duties as Head Girl to make room for them) and now that they were failing potions they would be kicked off the Quidditch team.

_Everyone, _including their head of house would blame her. Why couldn't they just see that The-Boy-Who-Lived was a hormonal jock who had a cork shoved up his arse in the past year or so and Weasley his faithful and attractive side-kick was the exact copy of Harry Potter except that he wasn't half as slick and confident as Harry and by the looks of it, not nearly as good of a kisser.

Not that she had any experience with those sort of things. She blushed for a second...if she and Draco were going to do the plan properly, they might just have to kiss.

She had hated him for so long that she couldn't imagine what it would be like to fancy him. Of course when he had gone against the Deatheater's during _The Raid _(otherwise known as the biggest wizardering battle this century) she had been impressed, and a bit surprised.

She didn't know what made him turn, or if he had really truly turned, a lot of times he still called her Mudblood out of habit more than hate, but she did know that as he was Head Boy and she was Head Girl she had to show him a medium of respect.

With The Plan, she would have to feign even more...but how much would be an act?

Flich's disgusting cat appeared around the bend with her master she didn't pay the slightest heed but tossed a the pair a maniacal scowl. Being Head Girl had its advantages. She didn't have a curfew.

She and Draco needed to work on the plan desperately. They had had many plans for this afternoon and evening. They had to convince Dumbledore to let them throw the ball, and then begin to plan it, and then they had to decide what they would go as.

Draco thought they should go as a historical couple of some sort, while Hermione thought they should go as Romeo and Juliet. Her argument was that her friends at least, weren't going to catch on unless they made their extra caution to hide the relationship extra obvious.

She half figured that Draco was afraid that he would have to go as Juliet and rolled her eyes, he could be more of a drama queen than Lavender sometimes. She giggled a bit out loud then bit her lip.

What was she doing to herself? Hermione Granger? Giggling? Hermione Granger fancying a sexy blonde Slytherin? She shook her head violently and took a deep breath. She needed to study or something, maybe read Hogwarts a History she obviously wasn't well this morning.

**_oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo_**

Draco was not a patient creature by nature, and when four hours had passed without hide or hair of Hermione's return, his patience began to wear thin. He was incredibly bored sitting in their common room, doing absolutely nothing but waiting for her to show up after tutoring those two dunderheads.

He paused, no that wasn't fair to Otter and Weasel. They weren't dunderheads, they just lacked academic ambition. His father had trained him to _know thy enemy _better than anyone else could, so he knew that he had the Golden Trio summed up in a nutshell.

Otter was incredibly powerful, when Draco rallied him up even slightly he could feel strong magical energy waves radiating off of him, one of the main reasons Draco had never attempted in his younger days to challenge him to a duel. Otter's rage could blind him easily, and uncontrollable rage combined with immense focused power could mean very bad news for Draco if he provoked the boy hero too far.

If Harry blood Potter realized just how powerful of a wizard he could become, he would be much more focused about his academia as Draco was. Draco knew his own powers far out-stripped Potter's because he cared about his schoolwork and becoming a stronger wizard. But he lacked the rage and recklessness that Potter had to make all his spells stronger.

Weasley, when it came to power matched no where near either of his friends, but how powerful a wizard's magic was wasn't the only thing to determine how powerful the wizard was. Weasley had the potential to become a brilliant strategist. His plays in Quidditch were hard to maneuver and extremely brilliant, as were his moves in chess. Transfiguration, Charms and Potions weren't the classes for him, but Ancient Runes, Astronomy and Arithmancy are where he would have excelled. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for his enemies when he was going into third year he had been too dumb to realize it.

Hermione was another story. Her power was as strong as his or Potter's any day, odd for a Muggle-born and her academia skills were far and above both of them. This he had been able to tell from the first day her met her. It had always made him a bit jealous of Hermione, probably one of the reasons he had tended to pick on her so much through the years. If she kept harnessing her knowledge like this, then by the time she was thirty, her powers would be triple his.

"Where in Merlin's name is she?" Draco thought glancing at his pocket watch, after she had been already been gone three hours more than she should, "It's Eleven 'o'clock!"

He was becoming rather bored. His homework was finished, and he had already assigned all the prefects their corridors to patrol. He couldn't go out anywhere, lest she come back and bight his head off and his patience was growing very thin. They had things to do tonight!

'Why can't Potter and Weasley tutor themselves?" he groused, "Or better yet, why can't Potter tutor Weasley? The only reason that Potter is failing Potions is because Snape hates him."

Suddenly, an inspiration hit him, and he sprawled out a quick note in case Hermione came back while he was gone.

_Beaver,_

_Have found a Friar Lawrence, and hopefully a Paris. Be back whenever I feel like...have fun tutoring Otter and Weasel. _

He left quickly. He had a few things to discuss with Professor Snape, and Blaise come to think of it.

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**Author's Notes: **_Please, please, please review._


	7. Chapter Six: The Body Odor Issue

**Author's Notes**: _Before I begin with the actual content of the story, which I know you all are eager for, I have to get these tedious bits of useless information out of the way. Since you know, so many of you have asked questions or given suggestions of some sort that I think this might be a longer Author's Notes than usual._

_First off to address rockslutgothpunk's review for chapter six, is anyone else having trouble understanding who is who in this tale? For those of you who have read, seen, acted in, or are just aware of the story of Romeo and Juliet, I know that the gender reversal might be somewhat confusing, although Hermione does give the reasons as to why they do this. I never actually presumed that anyone that decided to read this story would have no background with the story of Romeo and Juliet, and from this chapter onward, I will try to make the roles much clearer for you all, rather than just suggest them._

_Addressing Smiles. Thank-you so much for coming back to review again and reminding me to update. It can be annoying of course, but in cases such as mine it can sometimes be necessary. Feel free to come and do the same if I don't give you chapter eight in two-three week's time._

_A General Note on the Characterization of, just about anyone. I am trying my hardest to not make my characters over the top flamboyant makes you want to vomit OC, while making them over the top flamboyant makes you want to vomit OC. I know this makes about as much sense as the punch line to why did the chicken cross the road, but it's a rather difficult explanation to make. To have any romance between Hermione and Draco you must have either one extremely OC or both a little OC. That's what lovely about this story, I can slap a humor label on and no one can question me. _

_I know Pavarti and Padma have more depth to them then being nothing but gossips, but for the purpose of my story, they are. They certainly have shown enough girly-gossip-ieness in canon to make it easy to convey them this way._

_And Ron and Harry being asses about the Homework? That was a PO-ed Hermione ranting. As a matter of fact, many of the questions posed will be answered in this chapter, a few more in the future, and one in the last chapter._

_So I'll conclude these thingies until they turn a page long. By the way, thanks to all my reviewers glad some people are enjoying the random Shakespeare references and such._

_Thank-ye, and enjoy your read._

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Blaise Zabini was a rather handsome boy of Greek and Italian descent, and he was altogether too aware of this himself. He knew that he was admired by those that new him, and therefore took no trouble in preparing his toilette. This however, caused his black tresses to get decidedly oily and knotted, and for him to often to skip such vital parts of ones daily routine as brushing one's teeth, or showering.

He had supposed for so long that because he was so naturally attractive that any willing suitor, whether they be male or female, would go to him despite the odor he omitted, and the fact that he had only a total of two girlfriends over the years, one being a Muggle girl from the village that rest on the outskirts of his Kent Manor, and the other being a two day fling with Millicent Bulstrode back in his fourth year, did little to upset him.

So on this particular night that Draco approached Blaise with a proposition of some enormity, Blaise was reading most diligently, and romance was perhaps the last thing on his mind.

"Zabini." Draco said swiftly, giving the unkempt boy a curt little nod.

"Yes love?" he asked, flashing a yellowing toothy grin at the blonde before burying his nose in his copy of _Kama Sutra_ once more….perhaps romance was not exactly the_ last_ thing on his mind…

"Do you find me attractive?" Draco replied in a flat voice, internally questioning his sanity.

A few Slytherins glanced their way, but most left it alone, seeing as it was that weird kid Zabini and Draco, who was not to be disturbed under any circumstances.

Blaise raised a solitary black eyebrow from behind the cover of his book. "If you'd be so good as to turn 'round." He said in a seductive drawl that could only mean one answer.

Draco wanted to slap the perverted boy all the way back to the boot shaped country he hailed from, but instead grinned and bared it. "It's either this," he thought with a grimace, "Or spend another year stuck at this place with Granger."

But as he thought of the bushy-haired buck-toothed Gryffindor, he couldn't help but think that a year with her without Weasley and Potter flanking her sides sounded quite pleasant.

He then resisted to urge to slap himself rather than Zabini. What in the name of Merlin was happening to him?

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When Hermione arrived at her common room, she was surprised to find a note from Malfoy. Mostly surprised that in nowhere did it say the word mud-blood. As a matter of fact that particularly yummy blonde had been rather polite to Hermione as of late.

She wondered why she hadn't really noticed his change of demeanor before. She was probably too absorbed with making plans for IHC to notice much. Planning and organizing got her excited more than anything else did.

She leafed through her notes, hoping that Draco would be back soon, and whoever he had found to be Paris, the young man that everyone wanted Juliet or Draco to settle down with and Friar Lawrence, the friar who would secretly, marry them, would be people she liked enough to spend time with. She couldn't imagine what she would do if Draco got that pug faced hag of a girl Parkinson to be his Paris. She would give herself a good Aveda to the head before she'd let that two faced slut within a foot of Draco.

Her quill fell out of her hands and landed with a small smack. Had she just actually thought those things? Was she really jealous of Pansy 'bleeding' Parkinson?

What in Merlin's name was wrong with her?

**_00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000_**

"Well", Blaise said finishing up his full body scan, "I give you a E for exceeding expectations since blondes aren't really my type, but in all honesty I'd shag you any day."

Draco repressed the urge to shudder. It wasn't as though he had a problem with the whole bisexual thing, it just that when a bisexual boy didn't have a problem with him, it made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"How do you feel to about falling in love?" Draco asked nonchalantly, as if the question wasn't important.

"I never have." Remarked Blaise, "but I'm not exactly against it." He added for good measure.

"How would you like to fall in love with me for the school year?"

"---WHAT?"

"I was wondering if you'd be at all interested in feigning undying love for me during this school year while I have a fake secret affair with a Gryffindor so I can pull off the greatest prank to ever grace the walls of Hogwarts."

"How about you and I continue this conversation further on our way down to the kitchens for a midnight snack?" Blaise suggested.

"Brilliant idea Zabini." Draco replied, and the two strolled out together.

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More than anything, Hermione loathed being awoken on a weekend morning early tan her body intended. So when she trudged down the stairs from her bedroom to the common room at seven in the morning, one could imagine her to not be in the pleasantest of moods, especially when one that she hardly knew was eyeing her cleavage as if they had never seen a woman's breasts before.

'What the bloody hell are you doing down here at this hour Dra—Malfoy, and what the bloody hell is Blaise bloody Zabini doing here?" she hissed.

"We were just chit-chatting." Blaise said rolling his eyes, as if normal boys found _chit-chatting_ to be quite a normal occurrence.

"We were actually discussing IHC." Draco added cutting into the conversation. "Blaise is going to be Paris."

"Blaise bloody Zabini is going to be the man that will be after your affections that we will have to struggle against through out the year?" Hermione asked.

Draco nodded eagerly like a puppy hoping for approval. Hermione sniffed the air once then glanced at the boys. "Okay," she finally consented, "But only if he showers and puts on deodorant."

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**Author's Notes: **_I've never read a story where Blaise Zabini is a perverted bisexual with hygenic issues....have you? I didn't think so, so I thought for the sake of my story, that this could make it a little interesting. I promise a faster up-date, shorter author's notes, and much more Hermione/Draco interaction for chapter eight._


	8. Chapter Seven: The Scheming Old Man

**Author's Notes: **_So sorry for the delay everyone, but I've finally got the chapter up. Before I continue I just want to say, there WILL be homosexuality in this story. Although it is not the main pairing or main part of the plot it will have something to do with the story. If you have a problem with homosexuality (no it will not be graphic or smutty) please stop reading and don't flame._

_And on that note, thank you to my reviewers, ON WITH THE STORY!!_

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"Please repeat that statement." Professor Snape said sitting down at his oaken desk, "I'm positive I misheard you."

"We want you to marry those two." Blaise said, making a lazy gesture with his hand.

Hermione glanced around the office nervously. She felt like a mouse thrown into a nest of snakes. The only problem was she was supposed to be a lion.

"It wouldn't be a real wedding sir." Draco informed. "Believe me, I have no erm—_actual _interest in the mud—erm…Her—I mean that is to say, I don't actually fancy Miss Granger."

"And I certainly don't have any sort of romantic interest in Draco." Hermione supplied, glancing at him discreetly.

Severus resisted the urge to massage his aching temples… he wasn't blind, nor was he a full. He had spent too many years teaching hormonally charged adolescents to not be able to see such obvious signs.

The process of procreating was an easy one. Boy meet girl, boy like girl, boy woo girl, girl put out for boy. He knew by the very smug air Draco held as he had stood next to the head girl, and the numerous discreet looks of something other than hatred that Miss Granger kept on sending the Malfoy that the two obviously fancied each other.

But marriage? Wasn't that taking the whole teenage hormone thing a bit far?

"Allow me to try and comprehend what is being said." Severus muttered glancing at the trio, "You want to be married? But you don't actually want to be married?"

"Um yes sir." Draco said glancing at the other two.

"Oh that doesn't make any sense." Hermione said glaring at the two boys. "Draco and I don't want to be married sir, we just want to make the illusion that we are an extremely serious couple trying to hide our relationship."

"And your motive for the following is…?" Severus said glancing at his favorite student.

"They," Blaise said, making it very clear that none of this was his idea, "want to make Slytherin and Gryffindor get along."

For a few tense moments the office grew silence. Apprehension filled the air, and the three teens kept sending each other nervous glances. A thousand different reactions were pending in the air, but the one they received was the last one they expected.

Snape was laughing.

It was not a chuckle, nor a sneer, but it was a full blown belly laugh that rang throughout the air.

Ron, Hermione duly noted, would never believe it.

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"Minerva." Remus said approaching the stern professor that very same afternoon.

"Remus!" Professor McGonagall said upon seeing him enter her office, "Won't you sit down for some tea?"

"I'd love some, thanks." He replied making himself comfortable in a burgundy armchair.

The older woman quickly conjured up a pot of and summoned her favorite flowered tea cups, and took the seat across from him. "Now tell me my boy," Minerva said, "What's on your mind?"

Remus wasn't sure exactly how well this plan was going to work. It hadn't been long in the making so he could only hope and pray.

"It's Severus," he said with a heavy sigh.

The Transfiguration teacher visibly stiffened. "Yes?" she asked curtly, "What about him?"

"Lately," Remus said delicately, "I've been finding myself…hmm..How should I say this?…undeniably attracted to him."

Thankfully for Minerva at this moment she wasn't yet drinking her tea, and therefore had none to spew over poor Remus.

"Severus?" she choked, "Severus Snape?"

"Yes." Said Remus with a breathy sigh.

"But," Minerva said staring at him in shock, "Merlin's Balls Remus, why?"

"I don't know." He said resting his face on the palm of his hand, "but there is something so sexy about his broody anti-social behavior."

Minerva simply stared at him.

"Weren't you seeing someone…oh I forget his name…that person from the ministry?" she finally asked.

"Yes, but you know how it is he found out about the whole werewolf thing and how my last serious relationship was with a supposed serial killer and the whole thing went down the tubes." He sighed.

"Oh you poor dear." Minerva said, "but your on the rebound dear. Surely you don't want to pursue a relationship with _Severus_? He's so very _Slytherin_."

"I just don't know anymore Min. If I can't have Severus, maybe I'll just put off sex altogether. I think I may be in love with him." Remus said sadly.

The L word was all it took. Remus had been extremely reluctant to use it, considering Minerva's weakness for it, but he knew after having broached the subject with her for several minutes that it was the only thing he could do. It was a nauseating thing to do, considering the fact that he hardly even fancied Snape, but he knew that he had to get through to the severe witch somehow. Someway he had to make her realize that Slytherins weren't all that bad.

And match making was the only thing that broke through Minerva McGonagall's icy exterior.

"Oh Remus!" Minerva said reaching into her desk drawer for a handkerchief, "I must say, these past two years I have been worried for you. Simply going from meaningless relationship from meaningless relationship without any sense of purpose. Oh you have no idea how glad I am that you've finally found someone you can love again, even if it is _Severus Snape_!" she sighed dramatically.

"Thank you Min." he said enveloping his mentor into a hug, "You've no idea what you're support means to me!"

Especially since something told him it would be a very, _very_ long year.

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Hermione was not very fond of the Headmaster, simply because he was unpredictable. Well that and the fact that you know, he kept sending teenagers to fight evil dictators while he was safely tucked away in a castle and all, but that _really_ wasn't the point. She had no idea how she and Draco, and Blaise for that matter would be received.

In one scenario his eyes twinkled away as he agreed to let them do whatever they wished.

In the next his eyes twinkled away as he told them that they would have to wait until Christmas

Obviously any normal person could see that there would be much blue eyes twinkling going on, but what Dumbledore would actually say was the greater mystery.

The trio quickly entered the office and stood before the aging Headmaster whom was preoccupied with feeding his phoenix some anchovies strait from the can.

Hermione eyed the tiny dead fish with distaste, and Draco couldn't stop his subconscious from commenting on how cute she looked when she wrinkled her nose.

After a few moments of ignoring them entirely, Dumbledore looked up from his tin of fish and realized he was not alone in his spacious office.

"Hello, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini. This dare I hope, is not yet an0other complain about Mr. Zabini's hygienic habits is it?" he asked jovially.

"No," Hermione replied smiling slightly, "it isn't."

"Won't you sit down?" He asked gesturing to a small cushiony love seat and comfortable armchair that seemingly appeared from thin air.

"Um, yes thank you sir." Said Draco looking apprehensive about the seats.

Blaise immediately snatched up the armchair and sat down on it Indian style, allowing himself to get comfortable. This left Draco and Hermione to the loveseat. Both blushed awkwardly and each sat, scooting as far away from each other as possible.

Dumbledore did his best to conceal his smirk.

"So," he asked looking over his moon spectacles at the three teens, "what are you hear to talk about?"

"Draco and I" Hermione said glancing at the blonde Malfoy heir, "have been thinking diligently about the problem with inter-house cooperation."

"I'm very glad to hear it." Commented Dumbledore.

"And we," Draco said giving Hermione a meaningful glance, "have come up with a few ideas to help people from opposing houses mingle."

"Really?" Dumbledore asked, raising a solitary brow. "Such as."

"We were wondering, "said Hermione, "if we could possibly throw a masquerade ball this Halloween, for all the years."

"I think that's a delightful idea." Said the Headmaster.

There was silence.

"Um thank you sir," Draco finally said giving the other two an awkward glance.

"Your welcome." Replied Dumbledore. "Now why don't you all run along?" he asked.

They did as they were told. As the teens left Dumbledore couldn't help but smile and pop a lemon drop in his mouth as he thought of how Draco and Hermione had kept subconsciously scooting together until Hermione was practically in the boy's lap.

Things were going just swimmingly.

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**Author's Notes: **_Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and continue to read the future chapters. Hopefully the next xhapter will be up in a week or two._

_A review makes my day! (smiles)_


	9. Chapter Eight: The Letter From Friends

**Author's Notes: **_Aren't you all glad I've updated so quickly? Gotta love pneumonia and inspiration! Please review with your thoughts/comments/suggestions good or bad!_

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The next morning Hermione awoke to early morning sunlight pouring onto her bed from the window. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, and pulled her comforter into her chest in a vain attempt to fall back asleep.

"It's Sunday." She moaned, "No lessons, no classes, I can sleep in."

She pulled her burgundy blanket over her head to try to block the sunlight that refused to go away, and curled up into a little ball hugging one of her many pillows into her chest. She didn't want to get up, she had been having such a lovely dream.

A little smile played across her face as she remembered it, but it was soon followed by a frown when she lost the details in her memory.

A sharp tapping against the window pane interrupted her reverie. She pulled the blanket down and glanced at the window.

"Pig." She groaned climbing out of her four poster bed to let the tiny owl in.

It flew in with a swoosh, quickly dropping it's letter onto the bed and making circles around her bushy head. Occasionally, and mush to her annoyance it would peck her head, obviously waiting for the response. She unfolded the letter and scanned it over.

It read:

_Hermione, _

_Rise and shine sleepy head, another glorious sunny day ahead for us. We were surprised when you weren't there for breakfast, but ferret-face said something about how the two of you pulled an all-nighter with Dumbledore. Well whatever. We'll meet you in the Great Hall for lunch and then we can all go down to Hagrid's for tea. He owled us today, he's back from France! Anyhoo he told us he was a little short on food, so we'll be providing the tea and snacks from the kitchens, and although it'll put the poor little house elves up to more work we trust you'll have no objections._

_See you at noon,_

_Ron Harry Ginny_

_P.S. Gin wants to say something, I dunno what._

_Hermione,_

_Ignore them, they're gits. I told them not to send this owl and all or face your wrath at being woken up, but you know how boys are. Anyways, I'd figure I'd apologize before you get a chance to have a go at me and put the blame on those two buffoons you call friends. Anyways please come with us today…Ron and Harry feel really guilty about not showing Friday night, even though Ron won't say anything because he's hoping you forgot by now, and Harry keeps yelling at me to put some apology in. So there you go. But anyways, you simply have to come because we hardly see you anymore you're so busy and plus I have to talk to you about this rumor I heard._

_With love,_

_Ginny_

Shaking her head a little Hermione sighed and glanced up at the clock ten thirty. She rolled her eyes and picked up her quill and parchment, scrolling a quick reply

_Dear Ron, Harry, and Ginny, _

_First off---How dare! That's right I did say DARE! How dare you even think of trying to send me any owls before eleven on a weekend, especially after Draco told you that I've pulled not one but two all nighters this weekend? I'm probably not making any coherent sentences because I only woke up two bloody minutes ago._

_I'll see what I can do about making this noon deadline, I mean I have to be looking my best to see royalty…and by royalty I hope you both know I'm referring to the two biggest royal PRATS I've ever met. That's right your bloody well forgiven but it certainly isn't forgotten. The next time either of you do something that peeves me, don't be surprised to have this come back to bite you in the arse._

_After I've groomed myself to my satisfaction I'll see what I can do. And Gin, about that rumor…I think I might have heard it. You and I definitely **need** to talk._

_Much love (and some resentment)_

_From,_

_Hermione_

After she signed her name with a flourish and sent it off with Ron's annoying bird Hermione got herself ready for the day. She drew herself a bath in the joint bathroom that she and Draco shared and pulled out her baggy red tee-shirt with the obnoxious Gryffindor lion pasted on the front, a matching rd hair scarf, her favorite worn and tight denim jeans and some underwear.

She quickly immersed herself in the steaming water, letting the soot from the previous day soak right off her skin. She let off a gentle sigh as she closed her eyes in the tub, allowing all her thoughts to simply slip back into her subconscious.

It was so nice for once in a while to not have to think about anything.

After her fingers and toes had pruned up nicely, Hermione opened her eyes and poured a good heap of body wash onto a loofa and proceeded to scrub herself thoroughly. Meaningless tasks like this always allowed Hermione to let her mind wander, and lately much to her own discontent, she had found her thoughts often drifting to Draco Malfoy.

It was becoming painstakingly clear to Hermione that she was beginning to fancy Draco Malfoy, but why she had yet to understand. Logically, she knew that connecting Draco to romance was like connecting a fish with a bicycle. Even if he had been something other than nasty to her for most of the school year, and even if since the beginning of the task he was becomingly decidedly more civil to her, it didn't make up for six years of viciousness on his part.

It seemed almost morally wrong to fancy him. He was her childhood bully or one of the them at least, and had marked her years in the wizardering world with something decidedly unpleasant. He had gone out of his way to tease her, torment her and her friends. He had been nothing but unkind to her for as long as she had known him, his father had tried to kill Ginny and kill all the muggle-borns.

She sighed. The heart was indeed a foolish organ. She was falling for someone who had hated her from the moment he met her simply because of her parents and her heritage. She fancied someone who was snarky, cruel and vain.

Stupid Hormones.

As soon as she was finished washing, she stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in one of the big fluffy white towels that hung on the door. She stretched and wiped the steam off the mirror observing her reflection.

Heart shaped face, check. A too determined chin, check. Small up turned nose, check. Fat red lips, check. Pale skin, check. Rosy cheeks check. Ears that stuck out, check. With a sigh she turned away from the mirror, unhappy with her reflection.

She wasn't a vain girl or one that spent all that much time consumed with her looks, and although she had never been too interested in makeup or her hair she couldn't help but think that some lip glass and mascara might do her the world of good. Well, why not? She reasoned to herself. She was seventeen, what could a little make up hurt?

She quickly spelled her unruly wet curls into dry bouncing ringlets and wrapped the towel around herself, making a dash through the common room.

To her mortification both Blaise and Draco were there, playing a game of gobstones. They both stopped mid play to stare at her as she raced through the room. With a roll of her eyes she climbed the flights of steps that led to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her before Blaise could get a chance to wolf whistle.

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As Hermione dashed through the room Draco couldn't stop himself from noticing her long, shapely legs and the fact that the Gryffindor girl was wearing only a towel. His eyes grazed over her barely clad rear as she climbed the flight of steps and he couldn't stop himself from admiring the view.

However it seemed as though he was not the only one affected.

"Any respect I ever had for her is now gone." Blaise muttered under his breath as he glanced at the board in front of him.

"What?" Draco asked, "Why?"

"It's just really hard to admire a girls intellect when all you can think about doing is shagging her senseless." Blaise said with a sigh.

"Why do you want to shag Granger?" Draco hissed, clenching his fist under the table.

"Did you see her?" Blaise asked incredulously. "I know I might be a sexed up little prat in your eyes that wants to shag everyone and everything, but even a blind man could tell she's absolutely gorgeous."

Draco stiffened.

"C'mon now Malfoy." Blaise said, "Did you see her rump? What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes."

"She's not that good looking." Draco finally muttered making a move on the board.

"Oh give it a rest man. You're a Malfoy. Isn't your family supposed to have a natural eye for beauty?" Blaise said with a grin.

Draco paused trying to think of something he could find fault with on her without lying. It was a rather long pause until he finally murmured, "Her eyebrows are too bushy."

"And of you know of course that eyebrows are a key factor when it comes to turn ons." Blaise said under his breath.

Draco stood up and left the common room without another word.

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"Hello Severus." Said Professor McGonagall slyly taking a seat next to the strict Potions Master.

"Minerva." He said rather coolly trying to not let on how surprised he was.

"Pass the pepper will you?" she asked glancing down at the scrambled eggs she had loaded onto her plate.

He quickly handed it to her, trying to figure out what exactly was making her act so civilly towards him.

"Tell me Severus." She finally said after about five minutes of silence, "You're not seeing anyone are you?"

Only years of spying prevented him from spewing his eggs all over the table.

"Currently," he said rather curtly, "I am not involved in any romantic endeavors Minerva. Might I ask as to why you are suddenly so interested in my love-life?"

"Oh I just heard that someone had a crush on you." She said with a dreamy sigh.

"A crush?" Severus choked, "On me? Surely not."

"Well he said he found your broody behavior extremely sexy." Replied Professor McGonagall.

Noting his horrified expression she exclaimed, "Merlin's Balls! You are gay aren't you Severus?"

With this statement Severus could feel his patience thinning significantly. "I do not have much of a preference either way Minerva, and I beg you would not importune me any further on the subject." And with this he stood and left the great Hall much to the Professor's disappointment, but he couldn't help feeling rather flattered as he stalked down the corridors to his dungeons.

"Someone has a crush on me?"

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**Author's Notes:** _If yall remember what I said a while back, everything I do in this story has a purpose of some sort. So there is a purpose to the Remus/Severus side pairing...students aren't the only ones who need to get over their prejudices after all. (hehe)_

_And just in case you forgot, a review would really make my day! (smiles cheekily)_


	10. Chapter Nine: The Return of Hagrid

**Author's Notes: **_I'm back again, believe it or not, and I've finally found the time to work on this story. The wonders a few snowdays and getting a cold will do for you. I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and forgive me for the horrendous delay in updating!_

_Cheers!_

**

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Later on a fully dressed Hermione raced down her steps and through the common room as if something was chasing her. Blaise who was lounging on one of the sofas picking at his nails smirked as the Gryffindor beauty flew through out the room.

"Where the bloody hell did I put my cloak?" She muttered under her breath looking for the missing article of clothing on the floor and underneath piles of books and parchment.

"Where _are_ you going in such a rush, kitten?" Blaise asked lazily from his seat on the sofa.

Hermione repressed the urge to roll her eyes and rather bluntly said, "I'm meeting up with some friends in the great hall Zabini, not that it's any of your business. And don't call me kitten."

"Now, now don't hiss at me kitten…I'm not the one your mad at." Blaise said putting on an arrogant smirk.

Hermione paused on her warpath. "Alright I know you want me to tell you something, so will you just ask and get this bloody well over with?" Hermione said shooting the pungent boy a venomous glare.

"What exactly are your intentions towards Draco?" Blaise asked while working out a crick in his neck, "He's too sensitive to toy with the way you have been."

"What are _my_ intentions towards _Draco_?" Hermione sputtered, "If anything that question should be completely reversed. _Honestly_…"

"Listen kitten." Blaise said standing up and handing her the black cloak that he'd been sitting on, "Just because a person seems as hard as rock doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings. You think that whatever you say or whatever you do means nothing to him, and he thinks so too."

"I don't see the problem then. If he wants to act like he has no heart, fine by me. As long as he can convince the rest of Hogwarts he does."

"Slytherins are different. They show things different. And they expect to be used. Emotions are something of a weakness to us. If you care about something or someone another person will use it against you."

"What are you getting at Blaise?" Hermione snapped.

"You're smart Granger, but you're not clever. Maybe one day you'll understand what I'm getting at, but by then it'll probably be too late." Blaise said stomping out of the room.

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"Watch it ferret-face." Ron said pushing past the blonde Slytherin on his way to the Great Hall for lunch.

Draco paused and put on his best smirk. "What is it that you hate most about me Weasel?" he said slowly, "The fact that I'm better looking than you, that I'm_ much_ wealthier than you, or that I don't have to share my table craps with other annoying little creatures?" He added giving Ginny a disgusted glance.

"I wouldn't be jealous of you if you paid me." Ron spat shooting daggers at Draco.

Harry placed a firm grip on Ron's arm. "C'mon." he said in a low voice, "We're going to be late."

"Ah yes," Draco drawled, "Don't want to miss a free meal."

"Take it back." Ron growled closing his eyes.

"What?" Draco said.

"Everything." He hissed lunging on top of the boy.

"Ron!" Ginny screamed, watching her brother and the Slytherin roll around on the floor pummeling each other with punches.

Harry looked around desperately, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, the less he had to do with a fist fight, the better, but on the other hand he couldn't just walk away from his friend. He caught Ginny's eye and gave her I-have-no-idea-what-to do-look and she rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's helplessness.

"Ron!" came a gasp from the end of the corridor. "Draco!"

Harry and Ginny both looked down the length of the hall to see Hermione rushing forward. "Are you two honestly wizards?" she growled at the pair, quickly sending a stunning spell towards the Draco/Ron ball.

It hit Ron and Draco stood up, brushing the dirt off his robes. "Thank you Hermione." He said, giving her a very meaningful glance.

"You're welcome." She said breathily, trying to imitate the voice of a girl besotted.

"I should go to the Hospital Wing, get something for these bruises." He said gingerly.

"Alright." She said reluctantly. "Will I see you tonight?"

"Of course." He said with a half smirk, half grin turning down the corridor to go to the Hospital wing.

"Another thing!" Hermione called to his retreating back. "Twenty points from Slytherin for fighting!"

"Hermione?" asked Ginny gingerly glancing at her stunned brother on the floor… "Did you just flirt with Draco Malfoy?"

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Remus Lupin was friendly by nature, and observant by habit. He couldn't help but compliment Severus on the fact that he was looking particularly well groomed during lunch. He wasn't in his normal black billowing robes, but black velvet robes even more constricting and prudish, and lined with green silk. His long black tresses were tied back with a ribbon, a style worn by only the most elegant sort of pureblood men. Severus's teeth seemed whiter, and his skin pinker and healthier, giving Remus the impression that he might have used a rejuvenating charm.

It wasn't like the stern Professor to be vain, or to care about his appearance at all.

"Minerva." He said sternly approaching the older Gryffindor, "A word if you will."

Annoyed to be interrupted from her conversation with Madame Hooch about the prospects of the Gryffindor first years on the Qudditch pitch, she huffed but followed him.

When they were outside of the doors and the prying eyes and ears of the students and faculty having their lunch Remus dove in for the kill.

"Minerva," he said slowly as if addressing a rather dim young child, "You didn't happen to mention our little conversation to anyone, did you?"

"Me?" the elder Professor asked, clearly annoyed, "Why I've been as silent as the grave on the subject."

"That gives little consolation to me." Remus said with a roll of the eyes. "In the wizardering community, the grave doesn't _have_ to silence anyone. There are such things as ghosts after all."

Minerva harrumphed, but denied nothing.

Remus glared. "What did you say to him McGonagall?"

She gave him an icy look, "Oh nothing to get your knickers in a twist over, honestly Remus. I simply _happened _to _hint_ to Severus that _someone_ might have a crush on him. Is that too incredibly terrible?"

"When one tells someone something in confidence," Remus hissed stressing the last word, "One hopes that someone will understand just what the word confidence means!"

Minerva rolled her eyes. After a moment of silence she said, "He _did _look rather well today didn't he?"

The werewolf couldn't help but crack a smile. "Indeed Minerva, he did."

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The tea was awkward to say the least. After Hermione had blushed and giggled at Ginny's accusation, an attempt at acting that no one had believed, and Ron had been roused, a tension had fallen on the group. Harry and Ginny both surprised and concerned over what they had seen transpire between the pair, were eager to get away from Hermione so they would discuss what they were to do about the matter.

What exactly had been going on in Hermione's head was the thing that perplexed Harry the most. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that Hermione would never just go with a bloke for his looks. It was personal merits that truly counted to her; she detested the very idea of judging people because of their exterior beauty.

If Harry was pressed, well more than pressed, he would admit to understanding why so many girls at his school were so fixated on his nemesis. He was very erm.._pleasing _on the eyes. But Hermione would never be one of those girls who would fancy someone just because he was rich and handsome…would she?

Then again, how was he supposed to know? He was no Casanova when it came to women. Good thing he had Ginny.

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"So 'Arry, 'Ermione, Ginny, Ron, 'ow's everythin' at 'Ogwarts been since I been away?" Hagrid enquired, gently placing a plate heaving with rock cakes on the table.

"A bit more quiet than I'm used to I'll admit." Harry said.

Ginny gave Hermione a meaningful glance. "Things are getting a bit more interesting though." She said.

"Maybe for you." Ron protested, "But you've had fewer adventures than us. We're not used to going a year without getting ourselves almost killed."

They all chuckled somewhat and then a silence fell over the group.

"So Hagrid," Hermione finally said, "How was France?"

"Delightful as usual." Hagrid grunted.

"And Madam Maxime?" Harry asked slyly.

Hagrid blushed scarlet, "Olympee's just fine don you bother yourself 'bout it."

The four students laughed.

"I love France." Hermione said smiling broadly.

"The Malfoys' own a chateau there, don't they?" Ginny interjected.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Just my own curiosity." Ginny drawled. "Isn't that right Hagrid?"

"They's got a house in Wales and Italy as well I 'spects, but they don really use em. Last I heard Mrs. Malfoy was under house arrest." Hagrid told them.

"There's one woman I wouldn't want for a mother-in-law." Ginny stated in matter of fact voice.

"Why so aggressive Ginny?" Hermione asked tartly.

"Why so defensive Hermione? Ginny shot back.

"I can't be bothered with this right now." Hermione growled, "I've got homework to do, and a ball to plan. I'll see you later. Hagrid, it's good to have you back."

As soon as she was gone Hagrid turned towards the remaining three students with a solitary brow raised. "Any of you lot wanna explain what exac'ly that was 'bout?"

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**Author's Notes: **_Again, sorry for the lonnnggg delay in updates, but this story was temporarily put on the back burner for the rest of my life. It can be crazy at times, but, what are you gonna do?_

_Before I forget, please review._


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